Treatment of hydrocarbon oils and coal



Allg- 14; 1934- y c. H. ALBERDING TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OILS AND COAL Filed Feb. 16, 1931 INVETOR CHARLES H. ALBERDING BY @ggf Patented Aug. 1.4, 1934Y -1 UNir-Eo STATES. PATENT omge e 1,969,772L TREATMENT -oF mm1:ocalusorrl ANncoAL onis - Charles H; Alberdng',` Chicago; Ill., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company; Chicago, Ill.,

va corporation off South Dakota Y Application February 1e, 1931,seria1.No.515,9 7s' 2 Claims.'4 (Clt 1967-56) This invention relates to the treatmen'tof hydrocarbon oilsand carbonaceous materials, `and refers more particularly to the simultaneous distillation of such carbonaceous materials lby means of super-heatedhydrocarbon vapors from a crack-l ing operation. f

Primarily, the present invention comprises partially or substantially. devolatilizing carbonaceoustogether with the cracked vapors, to fractionation, returning the relatively heavy, insufficiently.

converted components of the admixed vapors to reconversion in the cracking system, and` collect,`

ing the desired end products. A

Inits more specific embodiment, they invention may providel an improved process and apparatus wherein hydrocarbon oil may besubjected to conversion conditions of temperatureand pressure in a heating element, the heated products introduced into an enlarged reaction zone, where separation may occur;l the vapors andgases from` said enlarged reaction zone subjected to further heating in a separate heating element and thereafter introduced into a coal or carbonaceous-containing chamber, coming into. direct contact` with a bed of carbonaceous material maintainedtherein, to effect partial or substantial devolatilization of the same; subjecting the vapors and gases from-.the carbonaceous-containing chamber to fractionation, returning the heavier, insufficiently yconverted components from the fractionation zone to the primary heating zone; subjecting: the vapors produced in the fractionating` zonetocondensa.-

tion and cooling, and collecting the desired prod.-

valve 2, to a pump 3, and from said pump, via a line 4, controlled by a valve 5., to a fractionator 6 wherein it may be preheated by direct contact with the vapors undergoing treatment. therein, and assisting in their fractionation. After its preliminary heating in fractionator 6, the raw charge, together with the relatively heavy, insufficiently converted portions condensed in said fractionator,

may pass through a line '7, controlled -by aA valve 8, to a pump 9, from whence it may pass through a line. 10, controlled by a valve 11, into a line12, leading toa suitable heating element 13.v It cle-v sired, a'portion or all" of theraw oil: charging stock being suppliedto the system, instead of passing overhead through said ffractionator, may be diverted. from saidline ltand passedthrough aline' 14, controlled by a valve 15,.intosaid line- 12, vthroughwhich it may befpassed directly to saidheating element.

Heating element 13may oe-disposed within any conventional typey of furnace 1-6, and the oil sup.- plied` thereto may be heated to any desired conversiony temperature under any desired pressure, preferably of v a substantial super-atmospheric order. After being subjected, to the desired' conversion conditions in heating element,V 13; thev products may be discharged therefrom. through, a line 17, controlledby a valve l8j,.into a; reaction chamber 19,. wherein. separation of vapors. and. liquids mayy occur. Chamber 191 may preferably be maintained under a reduced pressure, relative to that. employedl in heating element 13, whichreducedpressure may be sub-atmosphericor su.- per-atmospheric, in order: to further assist vaporization.`

Vaporsy may be dischargedA from chamber' 19` through aline'20, controlledy by valves 2l. and 22, and'` pass, in part, tog. fractionator 6 directly.4 However,` if desired.. all, or a portion of said va-. porspassing through line '20, may pass. through a line 23, controlled by a valve 24, into an line 25,

controlled by a valve 26, to a pump or compressor 27, from. which they may pass through a line 28, controlled by a valve 2 9, into a line 23, con trolled by a valve 30, to a secondary heating element 31.. In event. substantially superatmospheric pressures are employed in chamber 19, and substantially thefsame ora reduced pressure is maintained in heating element 31, of course, pump-or compressor 27 may be dispensed with `by closing control valves. 26 and 29 in lines 25 and 28, respectively, and opening valve 30.in line 23', thereby providing direct communication with therefrom through a line 33 for introduction into a chamber 34 through any or all of a plurality of lines 36, controlled by suitable valves 37, each of said lines 36 being in communication with said line 33; or the heated vapors from said secondary heating. element 31 may pass.-fro1n saidlnline rality of lines 38, controlled by suitable valves 39, also in communication with said line 33." The chambers 34 and 35 may be alternate zones in which coal or similar bituminous Vor carbonaceous materials to be ytreated ma'yf'be con'- tained. It will be understood, of course, that I have shown for purposes ofillustration onlytwo such alternate chambers. Obviously, any! desired number may be employed, either alternately or simultaneously. The operation of a plurality ori? chambers permits a prolonged operation of the process, and when so operated, may be alternately operated and cleaned. It will be understood,

-- n however, thata singlev chamber may be employed..

f in which event it -will beexpedient to employ any i well-known means `oi? continuously vintroducing the ycoal to thezone of treatment (or other carduced from vsuch treatment.

`Any desired pressure conditions may be employed in chambers 34 and 35, while 'the tem- 1 peratures maintained in said chambers may be sutlicient 'to effect the desired devolatilization of the carbonaceous material undergoing treatment therein. The he'atedivapors introduced intosaid chambers 'I from? secondary heating element 31 may furnish the sole source of heat for the de volatilizationof the carbonaceous ymaterials undergoing treatment therein, or, if desired, a por- -tion o'i.' said heat may-be supplied to said cham' `jb'ers through external means (not shown)v,suchas theeiiternal heating-of saidchambers.' If' not'externally heated, the chambersl are pref" line 40 and removed to storage or further-treat ment through aline 41, controlledl by avalve 42, communicating with said line 40. Howeverga. portion or all of the residual v'products removed' throughsaid line -40 from said chamber, may passy through a valve-43f'interposed in saidline," to'a pump 44, from whence it may be fed through aline 45'into`branchlines 46 and 48, communif eating lwith chambers 34"and '35, respectively. Residual oil -may be introduced in to said chamber 34 through branch line l46 at varying levels, each of the branches of said line 46 being con- 'trolled'byv a plurality of valves 47'interposed`in saidv lines. Residual oil may be introduced into chamber' 35 through said branch 'line 48 at varying levels, each of the branches of said line 48 beingcontrolled by a plurality of valves 49 interposed'insaid lines.

- ter its introduction into-either or both of said chambers 34 and 35, thev residual oil may be i subjected to temperatures suiiicient -to effect vaprization'of substantially of its volatile'c'om- 'Unvaporized'liquids which may collect in cham-" bers 34 and l35 may befrenioved therefrom-through lines 50 and 51,*contr`olled by suitable valvesl'52 and 53, respectively. The vapors producedin .chamber `34 may'pass'through a line 54,*conof said fractiornator.`

of `residual liquid'suitable as fuel, with trolled by a valve 55, into said line 20, while the vapors from chamber 35 mayI pass through a line 56, controlled by a valve 57, also into said line 20, through which they may be conveyed to fractionator 6 wherein their heavier components e A may beseparated from their lightencomponents 33 into a'fchambervt ough anyor of ajpluw."

falling 'withinl-the boilingl range...oi.,il. esired to the primary heating element 13 through line 7, as previously described, while the relatively light vapors may be discharged from said fractionator through a line 58, controlled by a valve 59, into a condenser 60 wherein they -may be subjected to condensation. and cooling, passing from said condenser through .aline 6.1, controlled by a valve 62 to a receiver 63 for collection. Incondensable gases' may' be` released' from said receiver 63 through aline 64, controlledy by a valve 65. Distillate may be removed from said receiver a line 66,'controlled by.avalver67.f..,f f

If desired, other well-knownfmeans `l(not shown) for assisting in fractionationand controlling the l outlet. temperature of 1ractionatoh6may .be adopted, vsuch as the recycling,y of ,a portionofvv the distillate from receiver 63 to the upper portionV through Pressures employed within the `systeniyinay range from sub-atmosphericyto super,aiiirwsllvheric pressuresas high as several thousand pounds per square inch. x Substantially equalized` pressures: may be employed throughout the system, or4 dity ferential pressures may. be ,utilized b,etween.-,sthe` various elements thereof. .Conversion temperatures employedmay. range from 750 to 1600 F.. more or less.

As a specic example of v one operation-ofthe profcess'of the present invention and the results i obtainable, a 24? A. PrI. gravity fuel .oil-'was sub-l jected in a primary heatingelementto a-temperature of about900 F., under a,.,superatmospheric pressure of approximately 200 pounds persquare inch.` 4The pressureina reactionchamber was;

`reducedto about 30 -pounds per square inch,;and. l

thaunvaporizedresidual products produced there in were cooled and withdrawn `to storage. The. vapors "from said .chamber were subjected -to .a secondary'heating at a temperaturel'of approximately 1100 F., .under a .superatmospheric' pressure of about 600' pounds .per square .-inch,A afterwhich they were introduced into a-.coalecontain-,- lng chamber, wherein' the pressure wasreduced. to about 100 poundsy per square `inclusand the pressure .was substantially equalized; throughout the succeeding` portions of the system.-

' 130 When the raw material` suppliedtsthe system' comprises Vabout `equal parts, on a weightbasis, o! coal and oil, an operation suchaspftheA above y.def scribed mayryieldabout 37% yofmotor fuel 'ot high anti-knock quality; v about 33%l of ,substan-i tially devolatilized carbonaceous :fuel: about.` 12% a-remainder of gas of high caloriiic value. f"

, When it is not desired to make a liquidresidual product, the .lunvaporized oilfroml a @reaction chamber maybe supplied to a series of carbonaceousmaterial-containing chambers; where,l it maybe reduced to coke, with a resultant substantial increase irimboththe motor. fuel vand-.solid carbonaceous products. 45

' By employing more severe conditions, especially in the vapor reheating'element and lin the coal or carbonaceous material-containingfchambers, the anti-knock quality of the motorrfuel produced may be` increased, andthe-volatility of .the solid carbonaceous fuel minimized. Increased gas formation usually accompanies this higher temperature, however, and, if desired, thev process may be operated at relatively high temperatures for the production of substantial quantities of gas of high caloriiic value, carbonaceous fuel and relatively small quantities of liquid products.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process for'cxabkingoil and distilling solid bituminous material which comprises passing the oil in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein to distillation temperature, then separating the heated oil into vapors andunvaporized oil, heating such separated vapors to vapor phase cracking temperature in a second heating zone, then discharging the heated vapors and a substantial portion of said unvaporized oil into a dstilling zone containing the solid bituminous material and distilling the unvaporized oil and the solid material therein substantially solely by the heat of said heated vapors, and removing and condensing the vaporous mixture formed in the distilling zone.

2. A process for cracking oil and distilling solid bituminous material which comprises passing the oil in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein to distillation temperature, then separating the heated oil into va.- pors and unvaporized oil, heating such separated vapors to vapor phase cracking temperature in a second heating zone, then discharging the heated vapors and a substantial portion of said unvaporized oil into a distilling zone containing the solid bituminous material and distilling the unvaporized oil and the solid material therein substantially solely by the heat of said heated vapors, dephlegmating the vaporous mixture thus formed to condense heavier fractions thereof and returning resultant reux condensate to the rstmentioned heating zone for recycling through the process, and nally condensing the dephlegmated vapors.

CHARLES H. ALBERDING. 

